Space internationally is changing fast, with new companies and new national players rising to prominence and challenging the status quo. Unfortunately, it’s no secret that Canada, as one of those traditional spacefaring nations, has not been doing nearly enough to adapt and we are increasingly falling behind. While other countries have been increasing their investment in space for years, ours has been falling. For the sake of our country and our economy, we need to do much better.

Our lack of a well-funded long-term space strategy has indeed been a major challenge, but there is another endemic problem in Canada that combines with this to seriously hold us back. It’s one that cuts to the heart of how we create an ecosystem where innovation can thrive.